The cervix is a ring of muscular tissue around the entrance to the womb. Most cancers of the cervix start as a cancer of the ‘skin’ or surface of the cervix.
Cause of cervical cancer
The most common cause of cervical cancer is infection with a high-risk
type of the human papilloma virus.
Eight HPV types - types 16, 18, 45, 33, 31, 52, 58, and 35, in descending order
of frequency - are responsible for more than 90 percent of cases. A past HPV
virus infection can cause abnormal
cervical cell changes later since the virus may remain in the body for life.
Low-risk types of HPV cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any
symptoms. Smoking (or a history of smoking) or having an impaired immune system
may also increase your risk for cervical cell changes. The use of birth control
pills for more than 5 years may be a risk factor related to infection with HPV.
Women who take birth control pills could
increase their risk of cervical cancer and breast cancer.
Smoking cigarettes increase the risk for cervical
cancer.
Natural Treatment of cervical cancer, alternative
therapy or remedy, prevention
I will update this page as more information becomes available.
Apigenin has been
studied but I am sure many more botanicals could be of benefit.
Integr Cancer Ther. 2016. Carnosine Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Cervical Gland Carcinoma Cells Through Inhibiting Both Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Glycolysis Pathways and Retarding Cell Cycle Progression. Carnosine has been demonstrated to play an antitumorigenic role in certain types of cancer. These findings suggest that carnosine has a strong inhibitory action on the proliferation of human cervical gland carcinoma cells rather than cervical squamous carcinoma cells.
Apigenin induced apoptosis through p53-dependent
pathway in human cervical carcinoma cells.
Life Sci. 2005.
In this study, we reported for the first time that apigenin
inhibited the growth of human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa) and through
apoptotic pathway. The results showed that apigenin significantly decreased the
viability of HeLa cells.
Apigenin-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells was confirmed by DNA fragmentation
assay and induction of sub-G1 phase by flow cytometry. Apigenin-treated HeLa
cells were arrested at G1 phase, which was associated with a marked increment of
the expression of p21/WAF1 protein. The induction of p21/WAF1 appeared to be
transcriptionally upregulated and was p53-dependent. In addition, it
induced Fas/APO-1 and caspase-3 expression which were also correlated with
apoptosis. Apigenin decreased in the protein expression of Bcl-2 protein, which
is an anti-apoptotic factor. The conclusion of this study is the apigenin
induced p53 expression which caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These
findings suggest that apigenin has strong potential for development as an agent
for preventing cervical cancer.
Pharm Biol. 2015. Effect of parthenolide on growth and apoptosis regulatory genes of human cancer cell lines. Parthenolide (a sesquiterpene lactone), a bioactive compound of Tanacetum parthenium herb, has been reported for antioxidant and anticancer activities. The present study evaluated the effect of parthenolide on growth and apoptosis-regulatory genes of human cervical cancer (SiHa) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. This study endorsed the biological activity of parthenolide and demonstrated the parthenolide-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in SiHa and MCF-7 cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes.
Q. Wondering if you could provide information on the
safety of using Indole-3-carbinol after the diagnosis of Stage 1 cervical
cancer. I see all of the literature / research on its preventative properties. I
have had surgery as well as chemo and still face the possibility of recurring
tumor. Is it safe to use in this situation?
A. I have not seen research regarding the use of indole-3-carbinol
as a preventive measure or treatment supplement for cervical cancer at this
time.
Cervical cancer symptom
Most cases are discovered as a result of cervical
screening, before there are any obvious symptoms. However, for those few cases
not detected this way, the main symptom is bleeding from the vagina between
menstrual periods. Pain or discomfort during sex, or an unpleasant vaginal
discharge, have also been reported as a sign of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer treatment
Treatment for cervical cancer depends on the stage of the disease. In
cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), abnormal tissue may be
removed using loop electrode excision (using wire loops heated by electric
current) or cone biopsy. Carcinoma in situ may be removed using loop electrode
excision, cryosurgery, or laser ablation. In cryosurgery, liquid nitrogen is
circulated through a probe, which is applied to cancerous tissue. Freezing
temperatures destroy the cancer cells. Laser ablation involves using a laser
(device that emits intense heat and light at close range) to remove cancerous
tissue.
Women who survive cervical cancer are at increased risk for
developing other cancers decades later. The increased cancer risk is primarily
seen in women who were treated with radiation therapy and involves organs that
lie near the cervix.
2006 - First Drug Approved to Treat Late-Stage
Cervical Cancer - FDA has approved a combination of the drugs Hycamptin and
cisplatin as the first
treatment for late-stage cervical cancer when surgery or radiation are unlikely
to be effective. There are about 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer a year and
3,700 deaths. FDA says the new drug combination is "a potentially
life-prolonging option for thousands of women."
Cervical Cancer and Sexual Health
Women with cervical cancer treated with radiation have worse sexual
functioning years after treatment than women who undergo surgery for the
disease. In fact, women whose cervical cancer was treated surgically -- by
removal of the uterus and any surrounding cancerous lymph nodes -- had sexual
functioning identical to that of healthy women.
Screening for Cervical Cancer
Combining a Pap test with a human papillomavirus (HPV) test can safely extend
the interval between cervical cancer screenings from three years to five years
in many women between the ages of 30-65.
Cervical Cancer Vaccine
An experimental vaccine from Merck & Co Inc designed to protect women
against a virus that causes cervical cancer has proved effective for up to five
years. Women given Gardasil, which Merck is developing with France's
Sanofi-Aventis, experienced no cases of cervical and external genital lesions,
the precursors of cancer. Gardasil is set to compete with GlaxoSmithKline Plc's
rival vaccine Cervarix in what industry analysts expect to be a
multibillion-dollar market. Both products protect against the human
papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that causes most cases of
cervical cancer, the second-most fatal cancer in women.
2006 - FDA Approves First Vaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer - FDA has approved Gardasil, the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions, and genital warts caused by four types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). About 6 million Americans become infected yearly with HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Nearly 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer appear annually, causing about 3,700 deaths. FDA calls the vaccine a "significant advance."
Questions
Q. Do mangosteen
fruit extract or graviola reduce the
risk for cervical cancer?
A. i don't know, I have not seen any studies in humans
regarding the use of graviola or mangosteen for cervical cancer.
Q. What can a person take that has stage 3 cervical
cancer?
A. Unfortunately hardly any research has been done with the use of
natural supplements for cervical cancer treatment.